Awakening Part Two
"Awakening: Part Two" is the second episode of the Gargoyles series, the second episode of the five-part series premiere and the first episode of Season One. It was also released on VHS, in a condensed format, as Gargoyles the Movie: The Heroes Awaken. Animation by Walt Disney Animation Japan, backgrounds by Studio Fuga, additional production facilities by Nakamura Production and Thai Wang Production. Synopsis Act I Goliath picks up Demona's shattered remains and roars in anguish. On the ground, Hudson examines the bowstrings and sees that they have been cut. "There was betrayal here," he says. Brooklyn, Lexington, Broadway, and Bronx come out of the rookery and gasp at the devastation. Goliath lands and asks if any more were in the rookery. Broadway answers that it was only them. Hudson observes that all the humans are gone, probably taken prisoner. Goliath, full of rage, says that they will find the Vikings, save the humans, and they will have their revenge. They fly off with Bronx following on foot. At the Viking camp, a victory celebration is underway. Spirits are not so bright among the prisoners, however. Tom's mother is crying, but Tom reassures her that the gargoyles will come and save them. "Nay," she says, "the gargoyles were destroyed." In a nearby cave, Hakon and the Captain have the Princess and Magus tied. They discuss ransoming the two of them. Magus threatens them with his book of spells. Hakon laughs and dismisses his threat. He picks up the book, tears out a few pages and burns them. The Princess says that she will see them both hang. Hakon walks toward her, and warns her not to vex him. A roar is heard outside. Hakon and the Captain run out of the cave as the gargoyles attack the camp. Hakon questions the Captain, since he said that they wouldn't follow. The Captain says they wouldn't have if he hadn't smashed the others. Hakon runs back into the cave and grabs the Princess. He says that the gargoyles have come, and she tells him that he is a dead man. He agrees, but tells her she goes first as he draws a dagger. She breaks his grasp and runs off with Hakon and the Captain in pursuit. The Magus calls for help and tries to free himself. Goliath sees the princess running from the two men and follows. The other gargoyles make short work of the Vikings and chase them off. The Magus frees himself and walks out of the cave. "Fools," he says to the gargoyles, "she'd be alive now if you hadn't come." Hudson asks for the whereabouts of the princess. The Magus answers that she is dead, and he would do the same to them if he could wield a sword. Instead, he opens his spell book and begins to recite an incantation. At a precipice overlooking the sea, Hakon catches the Princess. He raises his blade, but stops when Goliath lands. Goliath sees the Captain, and realizes that he was the betrayer. The Captain protests, pleading with Goliath that it was not to be this way. Goliath advances, saying that all of his kind are dead, and that the two of them will soon be as well. Thinking of his own neck, Hakon blames the Captain for smashing the gargoyles. In a fit of rage, the Captain lunges at Hakon, and sends them all flying off the cliff. Goliath catches the Princess as the other two fall to their deaths. Goliath unties the Princess and peers over the edge. "I've been denied everything," he roars, "even my revenge!" The princess starts to say something, but is interrupted by Tom. He runs to Goliath and tells him that he has to help the others. Goliath returns to the camp and finds his friends in stone at night. "What sorcery is this," he thunders. The Magus tells him that it is sorcery, and that he will join them. The Princess walks out from behind Goliath. The Magus sees her and drops the spellbook. She asks him what he has done. He answers that he thought she was dead, and was mad with grief. Goliath picks him up and demands that he reverse the spell. The Magus says he can't, since Hakon burned the page with the counterspell. Goliath drops him and hangs his head. "Now I am truly alone," he says. The princess asks if the Magus turned them to stone forever. The Magus replies that the terms of the spell were that they would sleep until the castle rises above the clouds. Back at the castle, Goliath gently places his friends on their perches. The Princess and the Magus apologize for the wrong they have done him. Goliath asks what the Princess will do now. She answers that she will take her people to her uncle, the king since it is no longer safe for them here. Goliath tells her that the eggs in the rookery will soon hatch. He asks her to care for them. She agrees. Goliath turns to the Magus and asks him to cast his spell once more. The full moon shines over Goliath, sleeping until the castle rises above the clouds. Act II One thousand years later, the castle is in ruin. David Xanatos arrives and admires it. He runs up the tower, where Goliath is still sleeping. "Magnificent," Xanatos says. He calls to his assistant, Owen Burnett, to make the offer. Own reminds him how expensive it will be. Xanatos tells him to start hiring crews. Owen replies that it will be difficult, since the locals consider the castle haunted. Xanatos smirks, "You know the answer to that, Owen. Pay a man enough, and he'll walk barefoot into Hell." Work crews converge on the castle and begin to disassemble it. The gargoyles are carefully packed away in padded boxes. Barges and helicopters ferry off large pieces of the castle. Above the skyline of New York City, Xanatos flies to his headquarters in his private helicopter. The chopper rises above the clouds near a massive skyscraper. The clouds part to reveal the castle perched on top of the tower. The helicopter lands in the castle courtyard as the sun begins to set. Xanatos walks to the top to the tower and stands next to Goliath. "Don't disappoint me," he says to the statue. The cloudtops pass by beneath the castle. The sun sets and a storm brews. It begins to rain. The stone cracks and Goliath frees himself from his long slumber. He stretches and lets out a mighty roar. On their perches below, the other gargoyles awaken as well. Goliath flies down to them, and they have a joyful reunion. It is cut short, however, when they notice where they are. They see the New York skyline, and are awestruck. Xanatos walks up to them and is greeted by a growl from Bronx. "You are the one called Goliath," he asks. "Yes..." Goliath answers. Xanatos smiles, "Excellent." The gargoyles follow Xanatos to his study. Goliath asks how long they were asleep. Xanatos' answer is that it may be a shock, but they've been sleeping for a thousand years. He explains that he learned of the castle from an ancient book that he recently acquired. The Magus wrote their story in his spellbook after he left the castle. Xanatos offers to answer any questions they have. Hudson asks how he broke the spell. Xanatos answers that it was simple, since the spell was made to end when the castle rose above the clouds. Lexington asks about the eggs in the rookery. Xanatos says that the eggs are gone and that they are the last of their kind. Goliath is confused and asks why he has done all this. Xanatos says he was fascinated by the Magus' story and wanted to see if it was true. He continues, saying that he wants to be their friend, and that they could do much for each other. "Such as..." Goliath asks. Before Xanatos can answer, the sound of a helicopter can be heard outside. Xanatos remarks that he is not expecting anyone, but he goes to investigate. He tells the gargoyles to remain there to be safe. They are not quick to trust him, and follow to see for themselves. Outside, a helicopter rises above the battlements and drops off several commandos. They disperse, surround Xanatos, and raise their weapons. Xanatos asks them what they want. Their leader answers that he'll know soon enough. Act III The gargoyles watch what is going on from the shadows. Brooklyn asks who these people are. Hudson answers that they are attacking the castle, and that's all they need to know. They emerge from the shadows and attack. The commandos are not as easy to defeat as the Vikings, however. By their weapons, the gargoyles surmise that they must be fighting sorcerers. Goliath says that they will defend the castle at any cost. It's all they have left. Xanatos runs to a secret compartment in the castle wall, and grabs a laser rifle. He joins in the battle. As Xanatos aims his laser, a commando knocks him off balance. The laser rips into the castle walls and sends debris flying into the street below. On the street level, pedestrians dodge the flying stone and metal. The police arrive on the scene. Elisa Maza pulls up as well. In the castle, a commando throws a grenade at Goliath. The explosion sends him sailing off the wall. His wings won't catch enough air to slow him down, so he digs his claws into the side of the building, and slowly comes to a stop. More debris falls into the street. Elisa warns the crowd back and notices claw marks in a piece of stone that has fallen. Inside the castle, one commando has broken off from the others and runs through the castle. He comes upon a locked door, which he opens with a small explosive device. Outside, another commando throws a gas grenade and incapacitates Goliath. The other one runs out of the castle with a briefcase in his hands. The leader launches a flare to signal the helicopter. The chopper lands, and the commandos run on board. Xanatos refuses to let them leave and aims his laser at the helicopter. The leader sees him and lobs a throwing star. The star knocks the laser from Xanatos' hands, and the helicopter flies off. The gargoyles regroup and speculate on what it was that they just witnessed. Xanatos thanks Goliath for his help. Goliath is still mistrusting and asks why he was attacked. Xanatos says that he is very rich and has many enemies. He asks the gargoyles to stay to defend their home and his headquarters. Goliath considers for a moment and agrees. He tells Xanatos that they are grateful to him for breaking the spell, but that they will never trust humans again. On the street below, the police have cordoned off an area around the building. A uniformed officer asks Maza what she thinks that was all about. She says that she doesn't know, but that she is going to find out. First Appearances (In order of appearance) * David Xanatos * Owen Burnett * Bruno * Female Commando Quotes Trivia *Hudson acquires his sword during the fight with the Vikings in their camp at the start of this episode; however, occasional animation errors would portray him as already having it in scenes set before this battle. *In the original version of "Awakening", it was the Magus who made the offer to place Goliath under the sleeping spell, as the best way of making amends that he could think of. Gary Krisel, one of Greg Weisman's higher-ups, argued against this, suggesting that instead Goliath, as a result of his absolute devastation over being alone now, should make this request of the Magus. Greg and his colleagues at once accepted this suggestion, realizing that this dramatically improved the story. *Greg Weisman makes a brief "voice-actor cameo" in the episode as one of the commandos, uttering the line "Nice mask". *Xanatos' surname is derived from the Greek word thanatos, meaning "death"; ironically appropriate, since we will learn in Season Two that one of Xanatos's chief goals is to defy death by attaining immortality. References *www.TV.com Episode Guide Category:Season 1 Episodes Category:Canon